1. Field of the Invention
The current invention relates to a method for the verification of an automation system for the performance of a fixed test run which provides data or measured values and/or a result calculation based on these data or measured values and a device for this purpose.
2. The Prior Art
Specific tests on vehicles must be performed according to a predefined and established standard. Such standards are prescribed by lawmakers, for example, in order to determine the exhaust emissions of a vehicle, for example. These standards includes guidelines of what and how something is to be measured (test run) and how the measurement results must be processed and/or interpreted (result calculation). The test run itself occurs on a test stand having a test subject (internal combustion engine, drivetrain, vehicle, etc.), on which the predefined test run is run. These test stands are controlled and regulated by an automation system, such as the PUMA family of the applicant, completely automatic test runs being able to be generated and executed. The difficulty in such test runs is proving or establishing that the test run, or the further processing of the measurement results and the final result arising therefrom, correspond to the predefined guidelines. Such a proof is unavoidable, however, in order to verify the test system (automation system, test stand, test run) for the performance of the desired test. Therefore, a very large amount of time must be invested for each new apparatus of such a test system in order to ensure this.
The automation software runs on the automation system, which is or must be updated more or less regularly, however. It is also conceivable that the legal guidelines for performing a test run are changed. Any intervention in the existing (and already verified) automation system puts the correctness of the test results into question again and the adherence to the predefined guidelines by the entire system must be cumbersomely proven again.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to disclose a method which allows a verification of the automation system and/or the result calculation for a fixed test run to be performed in a simple and reliable manner.